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Deb Matthews-Zott – Guest Poet

This month I am very pleased to present the poetry of Deb Matthews-Zott.

Deb first read at Friendly Street in 1989. She was treasurer of Friendly Street Poets from 1997-1999, and co-edited the anthology # 23, Beating Time in a Gothic Space. Her collection Shadow Selves was published by Ginninderra Press in 2003. She is currently working on a new collection of poems ~ Learning Meditation.

I have the body of a guitar.When I lie down to meditatemy neck is straightI clear my mindof things I’ve fretted aboutlet go my strings of attachment.

My soul is a sound boxit draws in the songs of birds,the pulsation of insects,the gentle movement of breezes,transforms the vibrations of natureinto meditation music.

I breath inbreath outrepeat the cyclecreating chords of calmto lift me above the physicalresonating with riffs of blisstuned to perfection.

Red

The day her boyfriend came home from gaolShe spilled out onto the quiet streetIn a sheer red dress which showedHer flattened breasts, her bones.And the mad edge of her laughterHeld itself to the neighbour’s throats.

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They all wished she would go back insideAnd lie on her bed with a bottle of gin,Or sit in a haze on the lounge-room floorFlicking her lighter at a pack of burning cards.

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The street could not containThe riot of her voice;Her stumbling red shape;Her bare white feet on their bitumen road.

They preferred the hysteric of her screamBouncing off inner wallsOf crushed and shattered plasterboard.There a fist or two,There the crater of a skull.A whole panel goneWhere he pushed her body through.

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Her ecstasy lasted a day or two.Then, in the middle of a night,They screeched in the yardLike a pair of ill-matched catsTearing at cloth; at hair and skin,Drawing each other’s animal blood.

I lie naked on a sofathat’s drawn its own heatand compete with silent monstera leaves

to catch the drift of liquid mistthe fragile coolof fine green rain.

previously published in Shadow Selves

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2 thoughts on “Deb Matthews-Zott – Guest Poet”

What a great blog and what a colourful group of contributors!I found you through The Adelaide Index when searching for art blogs from Adelaide. My own blog has been up for a few months now however I have a dearth of Adelaide blogfellows. So in an effort to change all that – hi from me! *waves*SJ xxhttp://skankyjanesrusesofpleasure.blogspot.com